Don't Judge a Turkey

I did something today I've never done before...I petted a turkey.  This is him.  Noooo--I did not paint it-it's a photo.   I took a day off today, but I have a little story to tell.

I had a preplanned lunch with a dear friend....then just when I got back home to work in my office the phone rang.

It was our youngest daughter.  She was out and about with our grandson (19 mo) and wanted to know if I wanted to take a little car ride.  It was a beautiful fall day today....blue skies....trees starting to turn....stuffy house.....I said YES.

We drove out in a direction I've never taken and discovered a small farm, with a farm animal petting zoo and pumpkins.   It was a $1 per person.  I'd spent all my cash at lunch.  So we scrounged the bottom of our purses and came up with $2...$1 short.    The farmer's wife said don't worry about it and even insisted we take a little pumpkin for Lincoln.

So I got to pet a horse, goats, a donkey and cow, ponies and this turkey.  The farmer's wife said he is wild.  He wandered on to their farm 2 years ago and stayed.  She scratched his head and stroked his sides and told us to go ahead and try.   He was amazingly soft and sooo colorful.  This picture doesn't do him justice.  His head is PURPLE and his wattle bright red.  And I was amazed at his demeanor.  I always thought male turkeys were a little mean.  Not this guy.  I had prejudged this poor turkey.

Kind of reminds me of the scripture in James 2:2-10 which talks about a man with a gold ring and a poor man coming into the assembly.  The man with the bright clothes and gold ring is given the best seat.  The poor man is told to sit on the floor.    James says we have despised the poor, simply because of their appearance and that is judging which is a sin.

I judged that turkey based on his rather repulsive appearance.  A wrinkly, warty head, and a long dangly thing from his nose..uh beak... is not exactly beauty contest material.  Yet he was rather a kindly gentleman and quickly became a favorite.

Are there people we have shunned or ignored simply because of their appearance?  They don't fit our definition of 'beauty' so we turn our backs.   Man looks on the outside, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  We need to love our neighbors as ourselves....that fulfills all the law.

I learned today to not judge a turkey by his appearance--glad I didn't miss that autumn opportunity.
Laura